Joe McCarthy wanted history to forget the inimitable Hazel Scott—and almost succeeded
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When many people think about jazz, or Black music in general, they rarely relate it to political issues involving the suppression of performing artists. In this #BlackMusicSunday series, we’ve addressed racism in the business side of the music industry, asJoe McCarthy wanted history to forget the inimitable Hazel Scott—and almost succeeded
When many people think about jazz, or Black music in general, they rarely relate it to political issues involving the suppression of performing artists. In this #BlackMusicSunday series, we’ve addressed racism in the business side of the music industry, as well as the political repression of Black folk singers, like Josh White, Leon Bibb and Oscar Brown Jr. Today, I’d like to explore what happened to Hazel Scott, who for a period of time had reached the heights of fame and celebrity, only to disappear into historical obscurity. What was done to Scott was a travesty, and in today’s political climate of Trump spewing “communist” accusations at all and sundry on the Democratic side of the aisle, Scott’s story is a cautionary tale. Read more